LB shuts down beaches after sewage spill

October 11, 2009 12:00:00 AM PDT

LONG BEACH, Calif. --

A nearly 2 mile long stretch of beaches in Long Beach were shut down Sunday after 10,000 gallons of raw sewage leaked into the Los Angeles River.The spill happened in South Pasadena Saturday afternoon when the sewage overflowed from a main sewer line in South Pasadena at Arroyo Verde Road and Sycamore Avenue. The spill entered the storm system and eventually dumped into the River.

Long Beach health officials said none of the sewage had reached beaches in the city, but the closure was ordered as a precaution. Coastal beaches from Third Place to Belmont Pier were closed to all bodily contact activities in the water.

The beaches will remain closed until test results indicate bacteria levels are at acceptable levels.